site.btaAid Will Be Provided to People Affected by Fires in Village of Voden, PM Glavchev Says

Aid will be provided for the victims of the fires in the southeastern village of Voden, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev told journalists as he visited the area of one of the villages most affected by the fire - Otets Paisievo. In his words, the people who are on the site are being heroic.

Asked whether the firefighting services had acted in time in the village of Voden, Glavchev said that in his opinion everywhere they acted adequately. "People who are affected always feel that things are happening very slowly. I don't think they can happen faster," the caretaker Prime Minister said.

Glavchev also commented on his resignation, which was requested earlier in the day over the situation with the fires in the country. "My resignation is not a problem," the caretaker he, adding that he would not get involved in political attacks.

He urged the politicians to come out of the air-conditioned offices and come on site, if they wish. Glavchev also said the most important thing was that there were no casualties in the fires.

"The State has the necessary equipment that has been purchased so far. I don't think the caretaker government can be blamed," Glavchev added. All ministers act as a team and that is why this taskforce was created. Minister of Justice Maria Pavlova has contacted the Minister of the Interior and they are ready to join in, because there is some possibility that prisoners may join in fire fighting, he added.  

Commenting how the Czech helicopters will help in firefighting, the caretaker Prime Minister explained that they are at a very good location from which they can get involved.

Figures from the Ministry of Interior's General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection show that 184 fires were extinguished in the past 24 hours and firefighters responded to 245 accident signals.

Earlier today, at a briefing, Interior Ministry Secretary General Dimitar Kangaldzhiev said there are currently fires in the Plovdiv and Yambol regions. Several fires have been localised in the regions of Kyustendil, Haskovo and Pazardzhik.